Defanging the Demonic and Dancing the Divine: Bali’s Rangda and Barong in Cosmic Balancing

Kathy Foley (kfoley@ucsc.edu)University of California-Santa Cruz

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Parts of Presentation1. History of Characters Beginnings Kediri-Majapahit 11 C

2. Narratives (lontar, palm leaf manuscripts)a. Rangda-Barong (Rwa Bhineda)-(Text Calon Arang ,c. 1540 ) mask puppet

drama (19 C)b. Sudamala (Durga)-(Text Kidung Sudamala c. 1325) wayang puppetryc. Sapu Leger -(Murwa Kala, Java; Kala Tattwa, Bali), holy water (toya

penglukatan)

3. Cosmic and Personal (micro-macrocosm relationships in purification)

4. Modern Versions

1. What (Religion)2. Who (Characters)3. Where (Bali-East Java)

Theme: Transnational and Transisland Fusion of Hindu-Buddhist-Sufist Tantric Elements with Ideas of 4 Siblings/Directional Powers

Imported Religions and Local Performativity Combine

Part 1: History

1. History :Hindu-Buddhist Religion Good/EvilKediri/Jenggala (8- 13 C), Singosari (13 C), Majapahit (14-15C) a. Religion Hindu-Buddhist with Pasupata Elements

Lakulisa [Patanjala in Java/Bali] 1 C “Founder/teacher” of the panca kosika (4 sages).Themes-skulls, burning grounds, matted hair, 5 m’s and other “wild” bond breaking behavior, fast track to enlightenment, spread via performing arts

b. Indigenous belief with attention to directionality-4 directions and center, as well as up (gods), middle (humans), down (demons)

Right hand/up (resi)—formulas, meditation etc.Left hand/down (leyak)—witches, balian, rerejahan (drawings)

Worldview of Calon Arang is leyaks (witches= left/down) Ideology rites/performance can free us of bad: dalang/mpuperformer/priest (right/up) deal with leyak/kalasAs western horror film reflect Christian imagery, so these stories are to scare into enlightenment Lakulisha 7 C India

History Kediri-Jengala, Singosari, Majapahit Java 10-15th C

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Characters:1-Widow/Witch, 2-Priest/Lion, 3-Followers=1-Rangda, 2-Barong and 3-Kris dancers

Anak Agung Gede Sobrat . Bali, Indonesia, 1911 - 1992

Who-Characters, Type 1: Wild Woman

1. Rangda (Widow/Witch)

2. Durga-wife of Shiva, Uma/Parvati in Tantric furious form is religious antecedent

3. Mahendradatta (961—1011 CE)- Also called Gunapriya Dharmapatni, an East Javanese princess who married Udayana King of Bali and became mother of King Airlangga who sends Resi Baradah and student/follower/son Bahula to control her.

Hindu deity Durga killing the buffalo demonPlace of Origin: India, perhaps Hemavati, Andhra Pradesh state, former Nolamba kingdomDate: 900-1000

The Hindu deity DurgaPlace of Origin: India, Bihar state, MithilaArtist: Sita Devi (Indian, 1914 - 2005)Date: December 14, 1977

Wild Woman: Durga in India

Hindu deity Durga killing the buffalo demonPlace of Origin: Indonesia, Candi Nusukan, Central JavaDate: 900-1100

Lamak Place of Origin: Indonesia, BaliDate: 1930

Wild Woman with Two Faces Sri (calm) and Durga (furious)

Wild Woman: Mahendradatta (961- 1042), Javanese Royal, Devotee of Durga, Rejected Wife of King Udayana (Bali), Mother of Airlangga (1000-1049, ruled East Java-Bali)

Wild Woman: Widow-Witch, Calon Arang/Rangda

Who-Witch WomenTheme: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

Rangda parallels includeDojoji (Japan)White Snake (China)Lara Kidul (Java-Goddess ofSouth Sea)

Who-History of Characters, Type 2:Leonine Men as Protectors (Barong and Followers)

1. Narasimbha, protective lion one of Vishnu’s 10 avatars 2. Kirti Muka (”face of glory”) Siva’s emanation told to eat body and

over doors 3. Manjusri, the bodhisattva most closely associated with

transcendent wisdom in Mahayana Buddhism, riding on a lion. 4. Lion as Chinese exorcistic, protective figure from Tang Dynasty

associated with new year5. Lion Dancing 舞狮, wushi (martial lion) associated with martial arts

training/ adolescent males6. Resi/Minister of Kediri Baradah

Leonine Men: India, Narasimbha (Vishnu) Baghavata Mela Kirta Mukha (“Face of Glory” of Shiva), Nepal,Deity Becomes the Lion Avatar/Protector

Leonine Men: China, Lion Dance Tang Dynasty to Shaolin Monks Animal Harnessed as Male, Martial-Spiritual Invulnerability

Leonine Men: China,Lion Dance, Martial Arts, Greens

Leonine Men: Java, Reog Ponorogo and Jatilan

Leonine Men: West Java, Barongan and Singa-Singaan- Lions, Luck, Circumcisions, Martial Arts, Trance, Money Collection

Leonine Men: Bali, Barong Club Parading for Galungan/New Year Raising Money

Leonine Men: Resi Baradah Transforms to BarongKet (Banaspati Raja/Lord of Forest, Afterbirth/Protector)

Who- Martial Males

Theme: Buddhist Discipline Boys to Men

Resi Baradah, Bahula/ Kris Dancers

Abbot in Dojoji, Monks

Fa hai, Xu Xian /Gold Mountain Defenders

WHERE: Calon Arang Site, Sukorejo Village, Gurah Kediri District, Pamenang area, Kediri, East Java

WHERE: Mpu Baradah Site, Built 1995, Desa Menang, Kecamatan Pagu, Kediri, Jawa Timur

Genealogical Chart of Mpu Baradah

Shrine of Mpu Baradah for Religious Tourism

Summary Part 1: History PatternsI. WHAT: Cosmos is unitary but universe is rwa bhineda (2)II. WHO 1. Female demonic needs containment, 2. Male contains

Whole population is at risk males through martial discipline are the followers of the Guru/Sifu/Resi

III. WHERE; Outsiders are demonic (south, west, sea)1. Calon Arang/Mahendradatta/Durga –Java, Nusa Penida2. Sidha Karya (mask in the topeng exorcism from Java) and Kala (demon in ruwatan exorcism from ocean)

Insiders (priest/king) protect and defang( north, east, mountain)1. Mpu Bharadah (Lemah Tulis)/Airlangga (Java/Bali)2. Tools are mantra, yantra (rerejahan drawings), safe space to acknowledge power (performance), holy water

Miguel Covarrubias 1934

Barong Ket, Banespati Raja “Lord of Forest”

Part 2

Narratives: Three Tales of Release/Exorcism/Purification1. Calon Arang2. Sudamala (Free from Evil)3. Sapu Leger (Sweep/Old Purification)

Theme: Release/Purification of the DemonicTools: Holy water, mantra, offerings, music, dance

Narrative 1: Calon Arang

Barong-Rangda, W. S. Nieuwenkamp 1906?Barong-Rangda, I Ketut Gede 1880?

Current Dramatic Form of Rangda Barong is 19th Century and South Bali Barong in the North were earlier for Galungan (New Year) but not Dance Drama

NYOMAN TOYA (B. 1966), Durga MurtiSiwa sent Durga, to earth to get fresh cow’s milk to cure him. Cow herder demanded sex. Suspicious Siwa called Ganasha. Durga turned into demonic being (Durga Murti/Rangda).

Prequel: Uma becomes Durga

Main story figures (l. to r) : Mpu Bharah, his student/son Bahula, Ratna Manggli and her mother Calon Arang in 2 forms (Monster and Widow/Mahendradatta)

What you see

Rerejahan, protection for performance

Ratna Mangli and BahulaRangda and Leyak

The Corpse

Baradah (East Java) Baradah as Barong and Kris Dancers

Wayang Calonarang

Wayang Calonarang

Wayang Calonarang

Rangda, leyak, KayonBarong

Narrative 2. Sudamala/Kunti SrayaWayang Parwa, main characters (l. to r. ) Sadewa, Durga, Kunti

Kunti Sraya, Durga with Sadewa at Cemetery

Kunti Sraya l. to r. Buta Siwu, Twalen, Kunti, Kresna, Arjuna, Buta Siwu.

Sudamala/Kunti Sraya:l to r. Siwa enters Sadewa (dalang) are returns Durga to original form of Uma

Sudamala/Kunti Sraya Java and BaliDurga (r.) demands Kunti gives Sadewa as victim. Purbo Asmoro ruwatan for Corona Virus, Solo, Java, March 2020.

Cenk Blong Bali’s top dalang performs at the death temple in Ubud, Kunti Sraya

Narrative 3. Sapu Leger: Sweep/Old PurificationOrigin of Kala in Wuku Wayang

Sapu Leger

Ogoh-ogoh Parade Figure of Sapu Leger story

Kala (l.) gets weapon from Batara Guru, Dalang Ebeng Sunarya, wyang golek sunda called Murwa Kala

l. To r. Kala meets Batara Guru and Narada, wayang kulit jawa Murwa Kala

Place of Origin: Indonesia, West Java, CirebonArtist: Rohman (Indonesia)Date: perhaps 1800-1990Object Name: Wayang golek puppet

Child threatened by Demon Kala

Demon Kala asks dalang and puppet troupe for child at a Murwa Kala performance

Indonesia, Tegal or Kuningan, Central JavaArtist: Abah Wikarta (Indonesian)Date: approx. 1930

Durga/Permoni and Batara Guru/Siwa

Tree of Life: Creation (r.) and Destruction/Kala (l.)

“Gods Forget Origin” and must return to their beginning—Get back to where they once belonged—know thyself/know the cosmos

Themes Siblings deal with microcosm and DewaWiku/God-Dalang is the learned one who creates balance reminding demonic it is divineTooth filing/defanging/using kris to create holy water

1. Durga must return to Uma (Barong purifies, Calon Arang )

2. Durga/Kunti must be returned to Uma (Batara Guru/Sadewa purifies Sudamala)

3. Kala, Durga/Premoni, and Sapu Jagat must be returned to Siwa, Permoni, Bayu (Wisnu/”Dalang Kandabuana” purifies Sapu Leger)

Part 3: Cosmic and PersonalMacrocosm/Microcosm

Cosmic and Personal Perspective

1. You or community may be having a bad spell (letting out your inner leyak, ill, loss of money, illness, family problems, etc.) but hearing who you/world really are (good origin but sometimes bad in acts) with offerings for gods (banten) and demons (caru) will help you/world put it back together2. The beginning of the universe and your personal life are parallels3. Purwaka Bhumi

Entas-Entas ceremony JavaEka Dasa Rudra ceremony BaliRuwatan/Sudamala/Sapu/Leger/Calon Arang

1. Cosmic: Egg/One of Universe Becomes ManyAcintya (Siwa), naga (serpent), badawang Turtle

Hildegard von Bingen) (Europe)

Pan Gu (China)

1 divides to 2Tantrism 10th- 15th Century

Creates ”Cast” in India which is reworked in Java and then Bali

1. Unitary cosmos that splits.2. Dual in material world (m/f) with beneficent and negative manifestations

2=Sri (goddess of rice) and Sedana (brother, partner)

2=Rangda (witch) and Barong (lion-like figure)

Rangda (Witch)/Barong

Acintya

Sri –Sedana

Shiva and ParvatiPlace of Origin: India,

Tamil Nadu stateDate: approx. 975-1075Historical Period: Chola period (862-1310)

One divides to two Shiva (m) and Uma/Parvati/Durga (f.)

Shiva/ Durga

4. Panca Kosika/4 Siblings / Kanda Empat(water, blood, placenta, umbilical cord) and #5 baby

(Laukulisa-Siwa)

Shiva/Laulisa and 4 disciples (Kusika, Garga, Karusa, maitryaColors, directions, afterbirth, umbilicus, water, blood and baby

Kala Tattwa “Anggapati is located in the east, in our bodies formed lust, when it is the most dangerous human enemy, Mrajapati is his place in the land and as the ruler of Durga (Setra Gandamayu), the Great intersection, and has the authority to interfere with people who violate the rules of atiwa-tiwa (pengabenan), Banaspati, its place in the West and embodied in the form of Jin, Satan, Tonya (Barong Landung), river guards, ditches, and sacred places, Banaspati Raja, place in the north which is realized as Barong, guards of large trees such as Kepuh (taru rangdu). . . Banyan, and others “. (Lontar Kanda Pat Buta)

9 Nawangsa (Directional Gods and Center)

4 Siblings as Kala (Demons)Nawangsa nine directions Manku Muriati, 2009

Parallels: Nyasa, Mandala in HinduismNeiden in Taoism up and back to origins

Yogic body Taosit Neiden

The siblings Kosika/Garga/Metri/Kurusya become the 4 directions and animals. Patanjala the turtle, Durga the universe—her sweat the water from which comes land, sun, moon, stars, 5 elements

“The Egg of the Universe had lifeAll was ordered, all arranged;The Three Worlds were there, all complete.

The Goddess then looked on Her SelfAnd full of wrath She then became.Her urge was to eat mankind;She Screamed , and like a lion roared.”

Siwa becomes Kala—they create all the evil and chaos, greed, addiction and start eating humans. Bhrama, Visnu, Maheswara become the Resi, bhramin priest, and Bujangha and create worship/performance.

“and then a covenant they made That Man kind in the Middle SphereAt the moon when it is newShould not by Kala be accurst,Should not be Durga be accurst”

Exorcism Purwaka Bhumi

“Gone is the form that They then had,To Their first form They have returned;God Kala, Guru has become,And Durga, Uma has become

Kusika to the East and becomes IswaraGarga to the South and becomes BhramaMetri to West and becomes MahadevaKurusya to North and becomes Wisnu

Pratanjala to Center and becomes SiwaMale Kalas become musicians in heavenFemale Kalas become goddess/dancersHigh god says ‘let it be so’

From Man was Evil exorcisedTo Siwa’s Heaven Man returned.Gone is the form that he then has,His true form is taken on…Pure in form as he had begun.”

Calon Arang is in medias res-when there is a problem it lets off steam and reminds that both good and bad come from same space and reminds bad it is actually good and must behave.

Part 4: Interpretations 1930-Now

1930s, l. to r. Miguel Covarrubias, Beryl de Zoete, Walter Spies, Colin McPhee, Jane Belo, Gregory Bateson, Margaret Mead

Walter Spies

Theories or 1930s Impacts1. Barong totem animal (early Dutch Ethnologists)2. Calon Arang schizoid mom (Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson)3. Drama of powerful theatricality (Colonial Exposition in Paris when Coroka Gede Raka Sukawati’s and Spies troupe inspires Antonin Artaud’s “Theatre of Cruelty” concept)4. Filmic Horror/Primitivism: Insel der Daemonen (Friedrich Dalsheim and Victor Baron von Plessen) tinged with German Expressionism, and Goena-Goena (Roosevelt/Spies)

Art Interpretations

Rerejahan and Ogoh-ogoh

Visual-I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (1862?-1978

Visual-I Ketut Budiana (b.1950)

Rangda 1$2 Anak Agung Darma Yuda

Wayan Malik (b. 1963) Leyak gathering from all over the world to protest tourists, expats, government officials, and greedy Balinese use the excuse of Leyak to cover their evil deeds.

Popular Culture

FILM

Directed by H Tjut Djalil Based on the novel Leák Ngakak by Putra Mada

Teguh Santosa Calonarang (1981)

Chronicle of Calonarang Created & Written by Ary Wicahyana et al.

Make-up Doris for Calonarang, Berlibis Putih and Roro Jonggrang

Dance, Literature, Martial Arts

Pramoedya 1957Ananta Toer,

Dongeng dari Dirah (Story of Dirah), Sardono Kusumo choreographer, 1971, 1992

Film version, 1992Tegas, 1974

Modern Feminist writing Toeti Heraty

The Story of a Woman Sacrificed to Patriarchy, 2000

Retno Maruti and Bulan Djelantik, 2008

Bulan Djelantik

“She was scorned, isolated, assaulted and destroyed simply because she was different. She was a strong-willed woman who devoted herself to a certain spiritual path, which happened to be different from the one professed by the king.”Cok Sawitri, novel, 2006, 2014 (English)

I Gusti Ngurah Harta (Turah), Martial Arts Group Sandhi Murti

• ‘It is the supreme of the supreme; the maximum of spiritual power of divine mantra…but extremely secret, never to be passed on. Great is your power and success because you know the frightful appearance of the God. The whole world of mortals closes its eyes, all are afraid and dare not look. . . to the supernatural power.

• When you keep it secret, you will enjoy power and final emancipation for a hundred rebirths; You are entitled to “go home” to the heaven of Brahma, Wisnu, Iswara at the time of your death. But if you talk, if you tell tales . . . You will suffer hellish pains for a thousand rebirths.’ (C. Hooykaas, TheBalinese Poem of Basur, 1978; 32-33

Celuluk (Ogre) does pandemic education Calongaran sends plague. Still needs purifying. COVID-19, 2020

Terima Kasih-Thanks

Terima Kasih-The End